Rapper and actor Boosie BadAzz stirred headlines on January 1, 2024, when he abruptly exited the Broadway production The Color Purple, asserting that the show was pushing the narrative. Torrence Hatch Jr., known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz, left the theater mid-performance, sparking discussions about his stance on the acclaimed Tony Award-winning musical.
The Color Purple narrates the journey of Celie, a young African American woman in the early 1900s who triumphs over challenges and discovers her voice. While the musical has garnered acclaim for its impactful performances and compelling storyline, it has faced criticism for its portrayal of African American women.
Boosie BadAzz took to Twitter on Tuesday to share that he walked out of The Color Purple with his children, emphasizing that the production is pushing the narrative. He declared his decision not to expose his kids to the show. This social media post garnered considerable disagreement from his followers, sparking a lively discussion on the platform.
“I HAD TO WALK OUT THIS COLOR PURPLE MOVIE (N TWO OTHER OLDER COUPLES WALKED OUT ALSO.) BECAUSE I HAD MY LITTLE GIRLS WITH ME N IT SEEMED LIKE A LOVE STORY‼️ GOOD ACTING BUT WHOEVER WROTE THE SCRIPT IS PUSHING THE NARRATIVE HARD!! AS A PARENT I WILL NOT LET MY LITTLE GIRL WATCH THIS FILM.”
I HAD TO WALK OUT THIS COLOR PURPLE MOVIE ( N TWO OTHER OLDER COUPLES WALKED OUT ALSO.) 🍿BECAUSE I HAD MY LITTLE GIRLS WITH ME N IT SEEMED LIKE A 🌈 LOVE STORY‼️GOOD ACTING BUT WHOEVER WROTE THE SCRIPT IS PUSHING THE NARRATIVE HARD ‼️AS A PARENT I WILL NOT LET MY LITTLE GIRL…
— Boosie BadAzz (@BOOSIEOFFICIAL) January 2, 2024
Boosie BadAzz’s comments have sparked a debate about the show’s message and whether it is appropriate for a rapper to walk out of a Broadway musical. Some have praised the rapper for speaking out against what he sees as a negative portrayal of African American women, while others have criticized him for leaving the show early.
U clearly never seen the first one either, AND u got a gay daughter. This tweet all over the place 🤣
— trey 〽️ (@honestpapito) January 2, 2024
To Boosie, the domestic abuse, underage marriage, and assault and r*** are fine but it’s the women kissing that got him to walk out ✅
All which happened before they kissed.— Trendfilmsetter🎬 (@trendfilmsetter) January 2, 2024
Ts Madison responded to Boosie BadAzz’s recent critique of “The Color Purple,” addressing the rapper’s Twitter rant where he mentioned walking out of the film with his daughters. In a Tuesday Instagram post, Madison recommended that Boosie seek assistance in confronting the “homosexual demons” he appears to be struggling with.
“So lilboosie you sat there with your daughter while [Celie’s] ‘Daddy’ took her [second] child that he fathered and gave it to the pastor and his wife. You sat there with your daughter while Mister came and bought her from her daddy at 14 You sat there with your daughter while MISTER enslaved CELIE to cook and clean his nasty house with HIS children. You sat there with your daughter and watched MISTER beat, sexually destroy and drag Celie all over the floor. You sat there with your daughter and watched MISTER bring his side chick into the house with CELIE.
“
“Then you try and come to social media and bring the ‘what about the kids mane’ campaign you been on and attempt to use God to justify you and the people who stand with you???? Tuh… and they call us DELUSIONAL. Sir: the character you play in real life is MISTER, The Daddy, The pastor and all the other men who abused CELIE in that movie!! And have the nerve to finally be ‘concerned’ about what a kiss would do to ‘influence’ your daughter… There is truly some intervention needed in your life to sort out these homosexual demons you’re fighting… #shifttheconcern this year”
Boosie reaffirmed his controversial stance on Tuesday (January 2), asserting that the criticism he has faced amounts to bullying.
“WHY IF SOMEONE DOESNT AGREE WITH THE [GAY] NARRATIVE THATS BEING PUSHED WHY DO YALL SAY THAT THE PERSON WHO DOESNT ARGREE IS [LGBT]. THATS BULLYING‼️
WE HAVE A RIGHT AS PARENTS TO SAY ITS NOT COOL FOR A 7 N 9 YEAR OLD TO WATCH THIS. WE HAVE RIGHTS AS PARENTS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AS MUCH AS WE CAN. I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL WITH [GAY] PEOPLE. MY GRANDAD WAS A PREACHER (SOUTHERN BAPTIST) N IM JUST TRYNA RAISE MY KIDS WITH THE SAME BELIEFS N RESPECT WE WAS RAISED WITH ITS JUST THIS WORLD WILL HAVE U N A FIGHT TO DO SO
“
WHY IF SOMEONE DOESNT AGREE WITH THE 🌈NARRATIVE THATS BEING PUSHED WHY DO YALL SAY THAT THE PERSON WHO DOESNT ARGREE IS 🌈. THATS BULLYING ‼️WE HAVE A RIGHT AS PARENTS TO SAY ITS NOT COOL FOR A 7 N 9 YEAR OLD TO WATCH THIS. WE HAVE RIGHTS AS PARENTS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AS…
— Boosie BadAzz (@BOOSIEOFFICIAL) January 3, 2024
The rapper known for Wipe Me Down has faced criticism for his stance on homosexuality, particularly when his daughter publicly came out as a lesbian. In an interview, he stated that he doesn’t fully embrace her sexuality, but he still loves her.
“Even though it won’t be accepted as far as — because I don’t want nobody in my other family to think it’s okay. But what she does, we’re gonna love her to death. But at the same time, our Southern family has never been that way.
It’s never been accepted. But at the same time, she’s grown and she can do what the hell she wants. She’s old enough to know what she wants and that’s her.
“
Regardless of the controversy, Boosie BadAzz’s decision to walk out of The Color Purple has brought attention to the show and its message. Whether you agree with the rapper’s decision or not, it is clear that the show has sparked an important conversation about race, gender, and representation in American culture.
